Thomas shelton



(No Model.)

T. SHELTON.

RECEIVER FOR NATURAL GAS WELLS. No. 371,794. Patented Oct. 18, 1887.

N. PETERS, Plmtn-Lilhognpllel, Washlngtcu, D. C.

rrnn TATES THOMAS SHELTON, OF MOKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL TUBE XVORKS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

RECEIVER FOR NATURAL GAS WELLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters. Patent 310371394, dated October 18, 1887.

Application filed January 29, 1887. Serial No. 225,899. (No model.)

To all wham, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS SnELToN, of McKeesport, in the county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Receivers for Natural-Gas ells; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof. i

, My invention relates to the receivers employed in connection with natural-gas wells to separate any water or other liquid discharged from the well by the gas and prevent its entrance into the gas-main leading from the well. As heretofore constructed, these receivers consisted of a vertical or horizontal tank into which the pipe leading from the well entered at the top and extended down toward the bottom of the tank, so as to discharge the gas against the base thereof and permit it to rise therein, the gas passing from the tank through a pipe communicating through the top wall thereof, and the water being tapped off at in tervalsfrom the bottom of the tank. In either construction of tank the incoming gas was deflected from its regular course and passed from the tank at a right angle to or in the opposite direction from that at which it entered it, and in order to lead the gas to the tank and from the same it was necessary to employ bends in the inlet and exit pipes, and it was found that a large amount of friction was created by the bends in'the pipe leading to or from the tank and also by the deflection of the gas out of a straight course as it passed through the same, this friction occasioning reduction in the pressure and the velocity of the gas.

The object of my invention is to provide a receiving-tank in which the water or other liquid is separated from the gas, and in which the gas passes through the tank in a substantially direct course, thus practically overcoming all the friction of the gas in passing into and from the separating-tank.

To this end my invention consists in a horizontal tankhaving the inlet-pipe from the well connnunicating therewith horizontally, and provided at the opposite end with an inclined surface leading from the base of the tank up to the discharge-point from the tank, so that the incoming gas will pass across the tank and be deflected upwardly by the inclined opposite end thereof, the gas expanding within the tank and passing through the same in a practically straight course, while the water or other liquid contained in the gas will be separated there from and pass out of the receiver, all friction of the gas within the tank being thus substantially overcome.

It also consists in providing the horizontal tank with a receiver for the water or other liquid under the same, this receiver communieating therewith by one or more pipes. It also consists in providing a valve or valves between the receiver and the water-reservoir, so that communication between the receiver and the reservoir may be cutoff when the separated water from the gas is tapped from the reservoir.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe thesame more fully, referring to the accompanying drawing, which represents a longitudinal section of my improved receiving-tank, partly in full line.

The receiving-tank a is formed of heavy boiler-plate of sufficient strength to withstand a heavy pressure of gas as it passes from the well, and the pipe 1), leading from the well,

communicates by means of-a pipe, 0, with one end of the tank a a short distance above the base thereof, the pipe I) having a stop-gate or valve, 0, to allow the escape of the gas orlead to a suitable blow-off pipe, the pipe 0 having a suitable stop gate or valve, f, to cut off communication between the well and the receiving-tank a, it being also provided-with a safetyvalve, 9, having therein a valve or stop-gate, g, to close communication between the valve 9 and the pipe 0, when desired.

The tank a is provided at the discharge end with the inclined or funnel-shaped end portion, d, the lower inclined face, h, of which extends from the base of the tank up toward the top thereof, the upper end of the funnel being parallel with the top of the tank, and the discharge-opening k, which communicates with the gas-main, forming'the base or smaller end of the funnel, so that the gas in passing from the horizontal pipe 0 to the receivingtank flows through the tank and strikes against theinclined end face, 7;, thereof, and is deflected slightly out of its course and up through the discharge-opening 76', the deflection of the gas through the pipe being but slight and not sufficient to in any way retard its velocity or cause reduction in pressure in passing through the same.

Arranged under the receiving-tank a is the reservoir l, this reservoir communicating with the receiver a by means of one or more'pipes, m, having thereinthe valves or stop-gates n for the purpose of cutting off communication between the receiver a and the reservoir Z. The reservoirl is also provided with a discharge pipe or opening, 1), having a suitable stop-gate or valve, 1". The receiver a is also provided with a safety-valve, s, to permit the escape of the gas in case the pressure therein exceeds the pressure desired within the tank.

In employing my improved receiver for natural-gas wells the stop-gates or valves n between the receiver and the reservoir Z are opened and the stop-gate r of the dischargepipe 9 is closed. The stop'gate or valve f in the horizontal inlet-pipe c is then opened,and the stop-gate or valve e in the pipe leading from the gas-Well is closed, and the gas then flows from the gas-well through the inlet-pipe 0 into the reservoir and expands therein, flowing across the tank and striking against the inclined face h, forming the base of the funnel-shaped discharge end d to the receiver, and as it expands within the receiver and strikes against this face any water or other liquid contained in the gas is sepa rated therefrom and flows to the base of the receiver, and thence through a pipe or pipes, m, into the reservoir Z. The gas in passing through the receiver thus flows in a substantially direct course, so that there is practically no friction created, the only deflection of the gas being in the slightly-upward direction to the discharge-opening 7c in the upper part of the discharge end of the tank, while all friction created by bends or angles in the course of the gas is overcome. In case the pressure from the gas is higher than desired it will be permitted to escape through the safety-valve s. The water or other liquid separated from the gas will flow into the reservoir Z, and when it is necessary to tap off or remove the water from the reservoir the valve or valves a are closed and the valve 1* of the dischargepipe p opened, so that the water can be removed from the reservoir without the neces sity of cutting off the communication between the well and the reservoir. In case it is desired to cut off communication between the well and the receiver the stop-gate f is closed and the gas will pass out through the valve 6 or escape through the safety-valve 9. By my invention I am thus enabled to separate the water or liquid from the gas without deflecting the gas to any extent outof adirect course through the receiver, and I am therefore onabled to separate the liquid from the gas with out the creation of friction and the reduction of the pressure of the gas at the well.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In receivers for separating liquids from natural gas, the combination of a horizontal receiver having one end formed inclined from the base toward the top,ahorizontal dischargepipe communicating with the said receiver above said inclined portion, and a horizontal inlet-pipe communicating with the receiver at the opposite end thereof, substantially as described.

2. In receivers for separating liquids from natural gas, the combination of a horizontal receiver having a discharge end formed inclined from the base toward the top, a-discharge-pipe communicating with said receiver above said inclined portion, and an inlet-pipe communicating with said receiver at the opposite end of the same and near the base thereof, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a pipe-line, of a receiver of larger diameter than the pipe-line placed between two sections of said line and connected therewith, and a reservoir below said receiver and communicating therewith, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination,with a pipe-line, of a receiver of larger diameter than the pipeline placed between two sections of the same and connected therewith, a reservoir below said receiver and communicating therewith and having an outlet or blow-off, and a valve for cutting off the communication with said receiver, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said THOMAS SHELTON, have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS SHELTON. 

